‘Potted Potter’ tells all 7 books in 70 minutes

It may have taken you weeks or months to read all seven Harry Potter books, but a stage show coming to Charlotte will tell the complete story in just 70 minutes.

By Andrea Honaker / Staff Writer

Published: Thursday, October 10, 2013 at 08:24 AM.

It may have taken you weeks or months to read all seven Harry Potter books, but a stage show coming to Charlotte will tell the complete story in just 70 minutes.

“Potted Potter – The Unauthorized Harry Experience – A Parody by Dan and Jeff” will be in Charlotte Oct. 15-20, and audiences will see J.K. Rowling’s famous books summed up at lightning speed, with plenty of humor added to the mix.

In 2005, Jeff Turner and Dan Clarkson created a skit called “Five Books in Five Minutes” to entertain the crowds at a bookstore when the fifth Harry Potter book was released. It went extremely well, leading the pair to take the skit to a festival, and it just kept expanding from there, Turner said.

In 2006, “Potted Potter” made its debut in England as an hour-long show about the first six Harry Potter books. The following year, the pair took the show on the road in the UK, this time having incorporated book number seven into the mix as well. After taking a break for a few years for other projects, Turner and Clarkson started the “Potted Potter” world tour in 2012.

The Gazette got the skinny on the two-man show during a recent phone interview with Turner. Here’s what the actor had to say:

It may have taken you weeks or months to read all seven Harry Potter books, but a stage show coming to Charlotte will tell the complete story in just 70 minutes.

“Potted Potter – The Unauthorized Harry Experience – A Parody by Dan and Jeff” will be in Charlotte Oct. 15-20, and audiences will see J.K. Rowling’s famous books summed up at lightning speed, with plenty of humor added to the mix.

In 2005, Jeff Turner and Dan Clarkson created a skit called “Five Books in Five Minutes” to entertain the crowds at a bookstore when the fifth Harry Potter book was released. It went extremely well, leading the pair to take the skit to a festival, and it just kept expanding from there, Turner said.

In 2006, “Potted Potter” made its debut in England as an hour-long show about the first six Harry Potter books. The following year, the pair took the show on the road in the UK, this time having incorporated book number seven into the mix as well. After taking a break for a few years for other projects, Turner and Clarkson started the “Potted Potter” world tour in 2012.

The Gazette got the skinny on the two-man show during a recent phone interview with Turner. Here’s what the actor had to say:

Question: Are you and Dan fans of Harry Potter?

Answer: “I have to concede that Dan is probably the slightly bigger fan. He’s been a fan longer than I. I don’t think the show would have worked had we not (been fans). We come at it with a place of love.”

Q: How many characters do you play in the show?

A: “I play Harry Potter. Dan plays everybody else. We’re not going for realism. All the characters are represented by a hat, a wig, a pair of glasses. We’re trying to get as many big laughs as we can.”

Q: This sounds like a pretty fast-paced show.

A: “It is quite carefully written so it’s not too much.”

Q: What’s your favorite Harry Potter book?

A: “I love book four, ‘Goblet of Fire.’ It seems to me a real boy’s book, as in fighting and wizards and sports. Dan’s favorite book is five (‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’).”

Q: Who’s your favorite character in the books?

A: Mr. Weasley. “I think it’s a nice idea to have a wizard who is intrigued by muggles.”

Q: Who is Dan’s favorite character to play in the show?

A: “He thinks Lord Voldemort is the most fun. We have him as kind of a more pathetic villain.”

Q: What is you favorite part of the show?

A: “Quidditch. It’s always hilarious. We get a couple of seekers on stage to look for the golden snitch. … It’s actually the adult men that really get into it. It’s very funny watching them.”

Turner added: “Audience participation … two of the scariest words in the English language.”

Q: What kind of reactions do you get from audiences?

A: “It’s been amazing. In the UK, it started as a very small show. Coming over here (to the United States), we had no idea what to expect. … The reactions have been brilliant.”

Q: Has the show changed or been adapted over time?

A: “It has to evolve. Dan and I have now done the show over 1,500 times. … It keeps the show fresh. It keeps it up-to-date. As long as we’re laughing, the audience will laugh. We know the show so well, it’s great to try to make each other laugh and change something on the spot.”

Turner said that he and Dan are always messing around with the script, improving it and adding to it. They often incorporate recent news into the show, such as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter attraction and J.K. Rolling’s new book as well as pop culture references such as Ben Affleck as the new Batman and Miley Cyrus.

Q: Who would enjoy the show?

A: “Harry Potter appeals to everyone.”

Turner said it’s family theater that’s accessible to everyone, from super fans to people who know nothing about Harry Potter.